The Raiders play host to the Washington Redskins today at the Coliseum in what was supposed to be a little passion play revolving around Jay Schroeder. But it won't be that, unless fate takes a bigger hand than usual.
Schroeder, whose popularity in his old D.C. home rivals that of Richard Nixon, has just been benched in favor of pleasant, young Steve Beuerlein, who has no particular following in Washington, one way or the other.
This is like turning on "Dallas" and finding out that J.R. has reconsidered his life and taken a vow of poverty.
Schroeder, reviled when he was in Washington for his aloofness, graciously obliged every interviewer who asked last week including the conference call back to Washington. He hid his hurt as best he could and wished Beuerlein well.
He sent olive branches to his loudest critics, Redskin defensive ends Dexter Manley and Charles Mann, who told everyone how much they hope Schroeder will play. Manley pledged to "cut his lights," an expression that didn't mean anything specific to anyone but didn't sound very friendly.
"The Redskins created a monster out of Jay Schroeder," Manley said. "Nah, Schroeder made a monster out of himself."
Schroeder replied only that Manley and Mann were competitors who were naturally frustrated because they'd never been allowed to lay him out in practice.
Were there problems with them?
"None at all," Schroeder said.
Relevant or not, there was no getting away from the story. Washington Coach Joe Gibbs, whose relationship with Schroeder blew up the summer of 1988 and produced the trade, accentuated the positive.
"I think my relationship with Jay--what I remember about it--he made a lot of tremendous plays for us, that the Redskins owe Jay a lot," Gibbs said.
"I think it was a great story, a guy going from an unknown to a starting quarterback in the league, then taking the team to a championship game.
"There were just things that I'm not going to bring up, that eventually led to the fact that--hey, it was probably better off if Jay went somewhere else. And that's what happened."
What has happened since goes to the central questions involving the Raiders, right after: Where is the franchise going, if anywhere?
Who is going to be the Raider quarterback?
Schroeder has a Raider arm, but has been in and out. His No. 1 supporter, Mike Shanahan, is, uh, no longer a factor.
Beuerlein has a good arm, himself, and many Raiders think his Sunny Jim personality makes him the better quarterback. He had two auditions for the No. 1 job last season before he was ready for them but his play this season suggests he's closer now.
How much closer, you'll begin to learn today.
Whomever the Raiders pick, they have to pick one . . . and stay with him. Did Al Davis recently note that few shotgun teams win the Super Bowl? A lot fewer rotate quarterbacks.
Beuerlein has recently become famous for his feistiness, demonstrated by his audacity in returning the taunts of the Philadelphia Eagle pass rushers last week.
And how about his Ronnie Lott run-in last season?
"We're digging this stuff out of the archives?" Beuerlein asked. "I can't remember exactly."
OK, how about last week? Coach Art Shell said the Eagles were taunting him first.
"They must have been, if Art says so," Beuerlein said.
Is it the singer . . . or the song?
We're back to the last days of the Tom Flores era, when the Raider scheme was being questioned, even Davis.
It certainly can be made to work, but simple schemes rely on execution and talent differentials. If you're only as good as the guy across from you, you can't just line up and blow him off the ball.
How talented are the Raiders, really? They're finding out weekly.
The answers so far . . . and the tests for today:
--Running game: Bo Jackson has rarely looked more determined over a two-game stretch. His comments and his play suggest that he likes the switch to Art Shell a lot. Fullback Steve Smith has a 4.2-yard average. The offensive line seems to be doing well, especially the right side with tackle Bruce Wilkerson and rookie guard Steve Wisniewski.
--Passing game: It's been in the dumper, despite the presence of high-quality receivers Mervyn Fernandez and Willie Gault. Dropped passes--there were at least four against the New York Jets in the Meadowlands in an 11-for-24 night--might have started to take Schroeder down, and the hooks might have shaken his confidence, no matter how many people deny it.
In today's matchup, the Redskins have only the No. 16 defense and their already-problematic secondary just lost its ace, cornerback Darrell Green.
